Hill Street flying high with six-goal delight to wrap up first league championship silverware in six seasons

Hill Street celebrate Saturday's title-winning victory against Coalisland Athletic.Pic by Michael Keegan.INLM20-140

A midweek draw with championship rivals Silverwood United set up last weekend’s visit to Coalisland Athletic as the club’s high-stakes encounter.

Graeme McCoy put Hill Street into a vital lead on the way to a convincing win - with Andrew Hagan also on target alongside a brace apiece for the free-scoring front pairing of Andrew Brown and Ian Penny.

The final whistle signalled a first Division One honour for Hill Street since 2008 and fifth in the Lurgan outfit’s Mid-Ulster history.

That 2008 triumph arrived as the third inside five campaigns and Hill Street manager David Wilson highlighted the significance of Saturday’s league glory in the context of the club’s past glory days.

“It is definitely a big thing for the club but everyone kept on believing,” he said. “We have a big dinner planned for May 24 as part of our 40th anniversary.

“It was an emotional day personally as my dad, George, passed away two years ago and Saturday would have been his birthday.

“He was certainly in my thoughts.

“In terms of the team overall, credit must obviously go to the players for such brilliant commitment.

“I also owe thanks to people in the backroom team like Tim Dillon and John Martin, plus the committee.

“The players all understood going into this season it was a special year.

“The six or seven signings made last season were all settled ahead of the current campaign so that helped us achieve the consistency after a few bad years.”

Darren Kennedy celebrated a first league winner’s medal for Hill Street but pointed to the experience across the books as crucial.

“You look at people like Davy Hawthorne and Andy Brown who went into the Irish League and won trophies then returned to this club,” he said. “We have a great group of players.”

HILL STREET: Aaron Kidd, Adam Carson, James Lindsay, Peter Wright, Andrew Hagan, Darren Kennedy, Chris Wing, David Hawthorne, Graeme McCoy, Andrew Brown, Ian Penny. Subs: Greig Stewart, Simon Gilkinson, Matthew Clarke.